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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27778744">Midnight dates</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightimedreamer/pseuds/nightimedreamer'>nightimedreamer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Carry on Countdown 2020 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A sprinkle of fluff, Baz Pitch is a creature of the night, Carry On Countdown (Simon Snow), M/M, Sleepless, a slight disregard for sleeping schedules, probably not a booty call but you never know, romantic drives past midnight, some years down the road, they're just dorky in this one</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:20:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,300</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27778744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightimedreamer/pseuds/nightimedreamer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>The world looks like an entirely different place at night. </em>
</p><p> <em>The streets aren't really desert, but it's close enough to it that it feels like we're the only people left here. Just Baz and I, alone in the night.</em></p><p> </p><p>Or: Simon and Baz go out on a (way past) midnight date.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Carry on Countdown 2020 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2027081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Carry On Countdown 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Midnight dates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! After two angsty days on a row, I decided to make today's prompt light and fluffy: Day 5: sleepless!<br/>This may or may not be read as related to my previous sleepless fics, Little Talks and Visitor, it's up to your interpretation. (Also depends on where AWTWB will leave us at, but that's a concern for the future.)<br/>Anyway, I hope you enjoy! 😄</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Simon </b>
</p><p> </p><p>I can't sleep. </p><p>It's almost three in the morning, and I've been tossing around on the bed for what feels like forever. I've used the restroom, tried to drink warm milk (which usually helps me calm down), and I even tried <em> studying. </em> I'm running out of options at this point.</p><p>It's hard to tell what triggered this. Most days, I'm so tired I'll collapse onto my bed and sleep for eight hours straight just fine. I have nightmares, occasionally, but nothing keeps me up for too long these days. </p><p>Except, well, when I can't seem to turn off at all. </p><p>So, when I can't think of anything else, and it's obvious that my brain won't shut down anytime soon, I call Baz.  </p><p>He picks up after the third ring. <em> "What?" </em> </p><p>His voice is groggy and heavy with sleep. It makes me smile. I used to feel guilty for waking him up like this, but… well, I've been learning to reach out to him more. Tell him what I need, ask for help, and sometimes just… spend some time with him. </p><p>"I can't sleep," I say, pacing around my room. </p><p><em> "What's going on?" </em> He asks, sounding a bit more awake now. <em> "Did you have a nightmare?" </em> </p><p>"I'm fine. Just… feeling restless, for some reason." </p><p><em> "Oh, I see." </em> There's a brief pause. Then: <em> "Snow, is this a booty call?" </em> </p><p>I bite my lip, nervously. "Depends." </p><p><em> "On what, exactly?" </em> </p><p>"Would you like to go out on a midnight date?" </p><p><em> "It's… three in the morning, darling," </em> he says, a taunting edge to his voice. </p><p>"Anyway. Would you?" </p><p>He doesn't answer immediately, which makes my resolution about this falter. I'm about to back down the offer and hang up when he says: <em> "I'll be there in fifteen minutes." </em> </p><p>I grin in the empty room and open my wardrobe. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Baz </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Snow is ready to go when I get to his flat. Off to <em> where, </em> I'm not sure yet. </p><p>"You wouldn't be content with bothering Bunce, would you?" I ask, jokingly. He knows this is not a bother to me. (As if I don't break into his room every once in a while at the wee hours as well.) </p><p>He grins at me, and I can't suppress a smile in response. </p><p>It's nice, the way we can do this now. Rely on each other and joke about it and know that we're solid. That none of us is a burden to the other.</p><p>"She has an important test tomorrow," Snow says, seriously. "Finals, you know how that goes. So, I didn't want to wake her." </p><p>I nod, taking his hand as he comes out into the hallway and closes the door, quietly. </p><p>He's dressed nicely, wearing that pair of jeans I got for him on his last birthday, with a light blue shirt and his favorite denim jacket. (He spent the summer holidays learning how to embroider. Now, there's a pair of red dragon wings ornamenting the back of it.) </p><p>"Hey," I say, squeezing his hand when we enter the lift. "You look nice." </p><p>He blushes prettily, and it makes my heart skip a beat. "Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." </p><p>I snort. "This expensive thing?" I point at my velvet overcoat. "Don't let yourself be fooled. I'm wearing pyjamas underneath." </p><p>He chuckles, his eyes crinkling up. I swear to Crowley, everything about him at this moment makes me want to smash my face against his. </p><p><em> Oh. Wait. </em> I can do that now. </p><p>I turn to Simon, cupping his jaw with my hand and running my thumb over his cheek, just under his eye. A question. </p><p>His lopsided grin is all the answer I need before kissing him. </p><p>It starts softly, as it is more often than not. But we haven't been seeing each other so frequently lately, what with his job and uni and our therapy appointments, and I guess we both missed this. </p><p>His mouth moves hungrily against mine; just for a moment, though it's enough to light me up from the inside in a way that makes me think the overcoat is useless. </p><p>It's over too soon. We part when the lift's doors open, and get out hesitantly, still holding hands. </p><p>"Wait," Snow mutters as we reach my car. "Were you being serious?" </p><p>I stop with my hand on the door handle. It takes me a moment to remember what we were talking about, but then I snort again. "Wouldn't you like to know, Snow?"</p><p>He takes that as an excuse to start unbuttoning my overcoat. I laugh, grabbing his wrists. "Not in the middle of the street, you nightmare! It's fucking cold." </p><p>"I just wanted to check!" Snow says, putting his hands up. </p><p>"So it <em> was </em> a booty call!"  </p><p>"Merlin's beard, <em> no," </em> he laughs. "I mean, not really. <em> Yet." </em> </p><p>"If you say so." </p><p>He shrugs. "C'mon, Baz. We need to be back before dawn." Then, he takes the car's keys from my hand and plops down onto the driver seat. </p><p>I stare at him, eyebrows shooting up. <em> The audacity. </em> </p><p>"What?" Snow asks, grinning. </p><p>"Who gave you permission to drive <em> my </em> car?" </p><p>"Wouldn't you if I asked?" </p><p>"Yes, but you didn't!" </p><p>He huffs, getting out and crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Can I drive?" </p><p>I consider saying no, just because I love the way he pouts when I do that. (His lips are already twitching, anticipating it.) </p><p>I lean in and kiss the corner of his mouth. "Fine." </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Simon </b>
</p><p> </p><p>The world looks like an entirely different place at night. </p><p>The streets aren't really desert, but it's close enough to it that it feels like we're the only people left here. Just Baz and I, alone in the night.</p><p>I don't know exactly what about driving feels so calming to me, but it does the trick, so I don't dwell on it. </p><p>We turn the radio on and drive around for a while, singing along to the songs. I've got my window rolled down, and the cold night air fills my lungs.</p><p>(It makes me feel good, being aimless like this. Like I'm an arrow whose only purpose is to fly, not to land.)  </p><p>We stop at a red light, even though we don't really need to. I turn to Baz. </p><p>"Are you cold?" </p><p>"I'm fine," he says, the overcoat closed tightly around him. "Where are we going?" </p><p>"I'm not sure yet," I say, my fingers thrumming over the steering wheel. </p><p>"Do you want to stretch your wings?" </p><p>I think about it. It's been a while since I've had time to go flying, and to be honest, I miss it—the cold wind on my hair, feeling weightless, and being up in the clouds… </p><p>I smile at Baz. "Would you go with me? Flying, that is." </p><p>He frowns a bit, and I wait, expectantly. This isn't something we usually do, but <em> when </em> we do… </p><p>It's incredible. I mean, flying is always incredible, but having Baz in my arms and knowing he trusts me enough for that…  </p><p>"Alright," he nods, eventually, smiling shyly at me. "Do you prefer to go to the beach or the country?" </p><p>I think about it. The night stretches before us, and so does the road. </p><p>"You know, the sea looks beautiful at night. We could see the stars." </p><p>He's smiling, and the street lights light his face beautifully. "Sounds good, love." </p><p>The light turns green, but my foot hesitates on the accelerator. "...But we can also go home, if you're tired." </p><p>Baz lifts an eyebrow at me. "Please, Snow, don't insult me like that. I'm a creature of the night. I can handle some sleepless hours." </p><p>"What about your classes?" </p><p>"Ever heard of <em> afternoon </em> classes?" </p><p>I grin widely. <em> "Brilliant." </em> </p><p>Then we're hitting the road, and I know the night is just long enough for today's adventure. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You can find me on Tumblr at <a href="https://nightimedreamersworld.tumblr.com/">nightimedreamersworld</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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